Rewind
by poliwonk
Summary: AU What would Meredith's life be like had Richard divorced Adele and married Ellis.
1. The World Spins Madly On

Title: Rewind

Author: Poliwonk

Rating: T

Plot: An AU fic. What would Meredith's life be like had Richard divorced Adele all those years ago and married Ellis?

Disclaimer: I'm not Shonda Rhimes, I don't own these characters, I just like to take them out and play with them sometimes, so please don't sue me. Oh and reviews are nice- they make me happy.

Chapter 1: World Spins Madly On

Meredith Grey stared out the window as she waited for the plane to come to a stop at the gate. She was coming home for vacation before she was to begin her internship and the thought was both happy and nervous. They hadn't made it out to her med school graduation because of her mom's health and this would be the first time she had been back for a year.

Exiting the plane Meredith looked around the terminal for her step-father.

"Meredith!"

He saw him waving and grabbed her bags.

"Dad!" She had thought of Richard Weber as her father since she was 5 and he had married her mother. She had never asked for details about their relationship, but by age 15 she had put together enough of the clues to understand that her mother had left her father Thatcher to be with him. She didn't hold it against her step dad though, he loved Ellis and made her happy, and that was what mattered.

Richard wrapped her in a huge bear-hug.

"It's good to see you. How was the flight?"

"Long, but mostly empty so I had a seat to myself."

"Here, let me get your bags. Is this everything?"

"I shipped everything else home so it should be there tomorrow." Meredith walked next to her step-dad and tried her hardest not to ask the question she needed to ask, it would only upset her and she needed to be happy to just be home, at least for a little while.

They walked quietly to the car. She had to ask.

"How's mom?"

"Not good. She's lucid some moments, but their getting shorter and farther apart. Meredith, I hate to ask you this, but we need to talk about your internship."

Richard was focusing on the road to avoid looking at her while he asked her the impossible.

"What about it?"

"Look, I know you were planning on working at HUP **A/N: For those of you who don't know HUP is the Hospital at the University of Pennsylvania** but I- I need you to come back home and be here for your mom. I think it would be good for her if you were around."

"I can't do that."

"Meredith, please- she needs you. You could do your internship at Seattle Grace."

"I can't transfer to Seattle Grace! You're the Chief of Surgery, everyone will think you're playing favorites."

"People won't think that."

"Yes they will! Anytime I get to scrub in on a surgery the other interns will assume it's because you're my step-dad."

"No, they won't, because I'm retiring."

Meredith sat stunned, he was retiring.

"Oh."

"I can't be Chief and take care of your mother. I'm retiring and taking a teaching job with the university. It'll give me more time to be with her. Please Meredith do this for your mother."

"I'll think about it." Meredith decided to change the subject. "So when do Chloe and Angie get in? Last I head they were coming home tomorrow?" About two years after Richard and Ellis had married, when Meredith was 7, Ellis had become pregnant with twin girls, Chloe and Angela. The twins, much to their parents chagrin had decided to go to Harvard together. Angela was pre-med and planning on a career in medicine like her parents and sister, but Chloe was taking a different path and had decided to study political science in the hopes of becoming a journalist. While at medical school in Dartmouth Meredith had tried to get to Boston every so often to see them.

"There plane gets in at 7 tomorrow, so it's just you and I for dinner tonight."

"I guess that means pizza?"

"Pizza it is."

* * *

Meredith lay in her bed that night and thought through all the pros and cons of coming back to Seattle. If she came back she would be close to her mother and be able to lend her step-father a hand. But, she would be at Seattle Grace where everyone knew her parents and would doubtless have certain expectations, expectations she had been striving to meet for years.

Waking up the next morning she knew what she had to do, there was really only one option.

She walked into the kitchen where Richard was reading the paper at the table. Sitting down across from him with a cup of coffee she grabbed one of the sections off to the side and started to read.

"Alright" she said from behind the paper "I'll stay"

"Thank you."

Nothing else needed to be said. They sat there each drinking their coffee and reading the paper.

**A/N: Yes, I know its sad Ellis still has her Alztimer's. Unfortunately despite her happy ending with Richard, Alztimer's is genetic and no happy ending changes that, trust me if I could cure it I would.**


	2. Gott Have You

Title: Rewind

Author: Poliwonk

Rating: T

Plot: An AU fic. What would Meredith's life be like had Richard divorced Adele all those years ago and married Ellis?

Disclaimer: I'm not Shonda Rhimes, I don't own these characters, I just like to take them out and play with them sometimes, so please don't sue me. Oh and reviews are nice- they make me happy.

Chapter: Gotta have You

"Wow Merri, you look great!" She had chosen a little black dress and a pair of strappy black heals for the intern mixer that night. Her sister Chloe looked up from her perch on the sofa. Like her sister, Chloe had blue-grey eyes and a trim figure. "Remind me to borrow that dress sometime."

"Not on your life." She smiled and made a last check in the mirror by the door.

"So where are you off to? You don't have a date do you?"

"New interns mixer."

"Sounds duller than dishwater."

"Yeah."

"Well try to have fun."

"I'll try."

The party had been as awkward as promised, with most people pointing at her and whispering.

"_You know who she is? She's the old Chief's step-daughter. No wonder she got into the program here. And her mother is Ellis Grey."_

"_The Ellis Grey!"_

"_Sshhh- yeah the Ellis Grey."_

"_Wow, talk about pressure."_

The first chance she got she ducked out and drove to the nearest bar. If any situation called for a drink this was it.

* * *

Sitting down at the bar she noticed a vaguely familiar man looking at her with a quizzical look on his face. He was very attractive with dark brown hair and warm blue eyes. He walked over to her.

"Do I know you from somewhere?"

She laughed and smiled. "You've really got to come up with a better opening line."

"It's not a line, I'm completely serious! What's your name?"

"Meredith Grey"

"Meredith Grey?" She liked the way her name sounded on his lips. "Your Richard Weber's step-daughter. You probably don't remember me- Derek Shepheard. Your Dad was an attending where I was intern at New York Presbyterian."

Suddenly it hit Meredith exactly where she knew this handsome stranger from.

_The entire situation was beyond embarrassing. Laying on the exam bed with her step-dad off to find one of his interns to examine her. She swore she would never drink and table dance again._

_Suddenly a handsome doctor drew the curtain back from around her bed and was quickly followed by step-dad._

"_So, Dr. Shepheard" Richard looked at his intern with a piercing gaze, almost daring him to screw up. "What do we have here."_

"_Meredith is an 18 year old who presented this evening with a possible concussion from trauma to the head as well as a significant blood-alcohol level." He looked over at her and smiled bemused. She felt herself blush._

_Her step-father spoke up again._

"_Next steps?"_

"_Check various neurological impulses, and order and MRI just to be sure."_

_Suddenly Richard's beeper went off._

"_I've got to get this. Dr. Shepherd- good job, go ahead and order the MRI."_

_Richard walked out of the room and Dr. Shepherd turned back towards Meredith with his flashlight and began to examine her._

"_So you want to tell me what happened?"_

"_No."_

"_Oh, come on- I'm not going to tell your dad."_

"_Fine, I was at a friend's graduation party, I had a bit to drink and decided to dance."_

"_You got a concussion from dancing?"_

"_Alright, I was dancing on the table and I slipped." He smiled broadly stifling a laugh, making her melt a little bit, she definitely had a crush on him. "Don't laugh at me! I'm in pain and you're my doctor!"_

"_Sorry- it's just-"_

"_Sad, I know. Particularly when my dad had to come and pick me up."_

"_Ouch!" He stood up. "Alright Meredith I'm going to go order the MRI and I'll be back in a bit."_

_She watched as he walked out of room and over towards what looked to be another intern, she was tall, with red hair and very pretty. He leaned over and kissed her quickly. Meredith felt her heart sink a bit, it seemed he was taken. Even if he wasn't he had to be at least ten years older than her, thus rendering any relationship impossible. _

_A few minutes later he came back to her. She knew she shouldn't ask the question, but it was so inappropriate but for some reason her head wasn't conversing with her tongue at the moment._

"_So who's the girl?"_

"_Huh?" He was busy scribbling something on her chart._

"_The red-head in the hallway. Is she your girlfriend?"_

"_She's my wife, Addison."_

"_Oh. She's pretty."_

"_Yeah. We've been dating since our junior year in college, and just got married last year." It was clear from the way he spoke of her that he cared for his wife a great deal._

"_That's nice." _

"_Alright Meredith, I'm going to take you up for your MRI now, but before I do that, can I suggest one thing."_

"_What's that?"_

"_Next time you decide to dance at a party, don't do it on a table." He had that grin on his face again, the one that seemed to light up the entire room with it's warmth and slightly roguish character._

"_Thanks. It's nice to know that someone can laugh at me in my time of need."_

"_Your welcome" He laughed and went around behind her bed to undo the locks and move the bed to the elevator._

She blushed slightly at the memory.

"I remember you now. So what are you doing here all alone? Last time I saw you, you were happily married."

Derek's face darkened and he looked down at his drink.

"It didn't work out."

"Sorry to hear that. What happened?"

"Do you want the long story, or the short one where I found my wife having sex with my best-friend in our bed."

"Ouch!"

"Tell me about it. So, what about you- still dancing on tables"

"No, I gave that up, doctor's orders" He chuckeled and smiled a bit, not the wide smile she remembered from years ago, but it was still nice to see. "I'm actually starting my internship tomorrow at Seattle Grace. There was a mixer tonight for interns, thus the dress and uncomfortable heels."

"Sounds-"

"Painfully dull?"

"Yeah, I actually skipped mine."

"How long have you been out here?"

"Three months. Your dad called me to come out here when he decided to retire. He was giving the Chief job to another attending but wanted one of his old students there. So I guess we'll be working together."

"I guess so." She smiled at the thought. It would be nice to see him everyday- give her something to look forward to.

"Well then, in the interest of collegial friendship, why don't you let me buy you a drink."

"Thanks."

They had a few drinks and flirted for a couple of hours till Meredith noticed the time.

"I should go." She looked down at her watch.

"Really?"

"I have my first day tomorrow. I should head home." But she stayed sitting on her bar stool.

"But you don't want to go home?"

"Not really."

"You could come home with me."

"That sounds very, very good."

They got up and he helped her with her coat and walked out the door to his car. Going up the drive, Derek looked over at her.

"You have to promise that you won't laugh."

"Laugh at what?"

They pulled up to a field surrounded by beautiful trees near a brook. Sitting in the field was a silver trailer.

"When I moved out here I had all this land and no clue what to do with it."

She looked out at the trailer then at him and smiling got out of the car. He followed soon after and they walked up to the door. Standing at the door he leaned forward and kissed her. It was passionate, warm, and perfect. Before she knew it they were inside and she was unbuttoning his shirt and he was unzipping her dress.

**A/N: So somethings never change. Yes, Meredith and McDreamy have hit it off in my story as well. But things will be some-what different this time.**


	3. Ain't No Sunshine

Title: Rewind

Author: Poliwonk

Rating: T

Plot: An AU fic. What would Meredith's life be like had Richard divorced Adele all those years ago and married Ellis?

Disclaimer: I'm not Shonda Rhimes, I don't own these characters, I just like to take them out and play with them sometimes, so please don't sue me. Oh and reviews are nice- they make me happy.

Chapter: Ain't No Sunshine

Meredith awoke the next morning with a start, the previous night coming back to her in a slow drip, like an IV. The party, the bar, the guy, the kiss, the…Meredith rolled over to see the sleeping form of the very handsome Derek Shepherd next to her and realized she had made a big mistake.

Very quietly Meredith grabbed the blanket from off top of the bed and scoured the floor for her clothing. But before she could get very far…

"Hey, you weren't thinking on running out on me by any chance were you?"

"Look, Derek-"

"So you were planning on leaving." He sat up and smiled that brilliant smile again. His hair was untidy and the light stubble on his face gave him an overall charmingly roughish appearance. Meredith heart skipped a beat and she nearly jumped back into bed. But she gathered all the will power she possessed and stood in front of the bed wrapped in his blanket.

"Derek, as nice great night was-"

"So last night was great?" He smiled broadly.

"Would you please stop that?"

"Stop what?"

"Stop being charming!"

"I can't help it."

"Derek, this isn't going to work."

"Why not?"

"You really need me to tell you?"

"It would be helpful" He edged himself over side of the bed and grabbed on his boxers. She breath hitched for a moment when she saw him standing there for the moment it took him to pull them on. He noticed her staring. "You were saying something" He looked at her with his warm blue eyes and she again took a moment to regain her composure.

"Yes. There's a lot of reasons why this can't happen. You're an attending, I'm an intern. My dad used to be your mentor. And you just got out of an 11 year marriage. There are a lot of reasons."

He walked towards her, and she felt her knees wobble a bit.

"Fine."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"So we can try and just be friends than?"

"Yeah, friends." He was so close now that there was less that an inch between them. They stood there for what seemed like an eternity just looking each other in the eyes, she almost wished he would kiss her.

"Alright, I should go."

"Meredith?"

"What?"

"I think you might need this." He bent down and picked up a pair of lacy black panties and handed them to her. She blushed and shuffled over, still in wrapped in the blanket, towards the tiny trailer bathroom. She walked in leaving the door open a crack so that Derek could hand her the rest of her clothing.

"So Meredith, how exactly where you planning on getting home this morning without your car?"

"I hadn't really thought that far in advance."

Finally dressed she walked out of the bathroom, Derek had dressed himself as well.

"Will you allow me, as your friend of course, to drive you home."

"That would be great, thanks."

The car ride back to her house was at first filled with awkward silences and small talk as they attempted to find some easy middle ground between the previous evening's activities and this morning's agreement to remain "just friends". Eventually though the easy conversation, with the slight edge of flirtation, from the previous night returned. And by the time they reached her house they were laughing as he told her story about when his niece had forced him to dress up and take her out trick-or-treating dressed as a clown. Meredith got out of the car and closed the door, she leaned through the window.

"I'll see you at work then."

"Yeah see you there." He smiled and seemed to want to kiss her, but instead she walked up towards the house, she glanced back to find him watching her. Quickly she turned the lock and slipped inside, she felt like she was 18 again, slipping back home after staying out too late.

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews everyone. I'm glad to see you all like it so much. For those of you who haven't read it yet, please go read my other story Hallelujah- it's a post season 2 story. As for this one, yes I have Meredith and Derek deciding to be jut friends, but we saw how well that worked out on the show. Have faith and you shall be rewarded.**


	4. We Are Family

Title: Rewind

Author: Poliwonk

Rating: T

Plot: An AU fic. What would Meredith's life be like had Richard divorced Adele all those years ago and married Ellis?

Disclaimer: I'm not Shonda Rhimes, I don't own these characters, I just like to take them out and play with them sometimes, so please don't sue me. Oh and reviews are nice- they make me happy.

* * *

Chapter 4: We Are Family

Meredith closed the door behind her. She had just begun to climb the stairs when a voice greated her from the doorway to the kitchen.

"You're home awfully late, or early as the case may be." Meredith turned to see her step-father with his arms folded across his chest.

She turned to face him "I'm really sorry. You see I-"

"Meredith, you're 28 years old. You don't owe me an explanation for being out late."

"Yeah. I just- I was thinking. Maybe it would be better if instead of living at home I got a place of my own."

"You're probably right, though I'll miss having you around, trying to sneak in after hours." He grin widely and walked over to her. Giving her a hug he looked her in the eyes and said, "But you know, you'll always be my little girl. Now go get ready or you'll be late for rounds."

Meredith smiled as she walked up to her room. She knew she could count on her family. Despite the occasional squabble, they were there for her and that was more than most could say.

* * *

Dashing up the stairs in the direction the nurses had pointed her; Meredith opened the door to the surgical room to find that the Chief of Surgery had already begun to welcome the interns.

"Dr. Grey, I'm glad to see that you could join us." The other interns turned to look at her.

"As I was saying, I'm Dr. Burke, Chief of Surgery here at Seattle Grace. As of today you are no longer students, you are Doctors. For the next seven years the people you see around you will be both your colleagues and your competition. Not all of you will complete the program. Some will switch to easier specialties, others will drop out completely. Over on the wall outside the locker room are your resident assignments. Good luck."

Meredith had never felt more nervous since her parents dropped her off at college her freshman year. Luckily as she was walking down the hall she heard a familiar voice.

"Meredith! Hey, wait up!"

"Dr. Shepherd."

"And I thought we were friends."

"We are, but here, at work, I'm drawing a line. So, how can I help you Dr. Shepherd?"

"I just wanted to see how your first day was going."

"Fine, my day's been just fine. I was late this morning and just found out that I was assigned to the Nazi. So yeah my day has been fine."

"Cheer-up, I'm sure you'll be great."

Meredith's first shift of her medical career went by in a haze of caffeine and adrenaline. She had been assigned to an obnoxious beauty pageant contestant, became friends than enemies then friends again with the ultra-competitive Christina Yang after she told Christina what had happened between her and Derek- who had let her scrub in on the procedure later. It was exhausting and exhilarating at the same time.

Arriving home after 48 hours on the clock, Meredith slogged up the front walk. Opening the door she was attacked by her younger sister Angie.

"You're home!"

"Angie, please I can't breath and I've been on my feet for 48 hours."

"Sorry. It's just, I haven't seen you since I got in."

"It's good to see you too, just a little quieter please. So when do you start your internship at the paper?"

"Tomorrow, and I'm really excited. I mean I'll probably only get coffee and make copies, but still it'll be great to just be there."

"I'm sure. Hey is dad home?"

"No, he and Chloe went to go visit mom. She's pretty bad. I went yesterday and she barely remembered who I was." The girls buoyancy suddenly crashed, her smiled sunk and she fidgeted with her watch.

"Oh, Angie, I'm so sorry."

"Well there's not much anyone can do. I just- why did it have to happen to her Merri? She was so brilliant. She never forgot anything."

Meredith stood there looking at her sister. There was no good answer; she had the same questions in her mind. Growing up her mother had always seemed like such an invulnerable force, nothing could hold her back. But now she was slipping away, piece by piece and it was horrible to see.


	5. Hello City

Title: Rewind

Author: Poliwonk

Rating: T

Plot: An AU fic. What would Meredith's life be like had Richard divorced Adele all those years ago and married Ellis?

Disclaimer: I'm not Shonda Rhimes, I don't own these characters, I just like to take them out and play with them sometimes, so please don't sue me. Oh and reviews are nice- they make me happy.

Chapter 5: Hello City

The first two weeks of her internship had gone by quickly and Meredith had taken her free time to scout out housing. Everything seemed either too small, too expensive, or too far from the hospital.

"Meredith, have you found a place yet?"

"Nope, but I haven't had a lot of time to look."

"Well there's an old friend of mine, Jake Comiski, whose looking to rent out his place. It's a three bedroom twin, not too far from the hospital. He'd be willing to give you a decent price for it as well."

"I don't need three bedrooms dad."

"You can find some roommates. I'm sure there are lots of interns looking for a place to live.'

"True."

"I'll call Jake up and let him know you'd like to take a look."

"Thanks."

* * *

The house was large for a twin with a cozy feel to it. She could definitely live here she thought. Jake Cominski was a man in his late 50s who was looking to move his practice to Chicago to be closer to his daughter who was having a baby in 3 months. His wife had died 2 years ago from ovarian cancer and there were still many of her touches around the house.

"So, what do you think?" He glanced sideways at her.

"I like it. I'll take it." She grinned widely. She now had a place of her own.

"Great!" I'll have papers drawn up and you can move in next week."

Now all she needed were roommates.

* * *

"So, uhm, Meredith" George O'Malley, one of the other interns in their group approached her nervously. Meredith liked George. He was sweet and tried hard to be helpful. But she also sensed that he had a bit of a crush on her and she couldn't think of him that way, he seemed more like a brother than a boyfriend.

"Yeah George?"

"I hear your looking for roommates for your new place?"

"Oh, you've got a new place? Do you need a roommate?" Izzie Stevens, bounded over towards Meredith. Izzie seemed nice, but carried a chip on her shoulder having grown up in a trailer park and having to work for everything she got.

"Yeah I got a place but I don't think it would be a good idea for us to be roommates. We see each other enough as it is."

"Meredith, please you've got to get me out of my parent's house. My mother irons my scrubs for God's sake."

"Geez you really are a woman O'Malley" Alex Karev, or Dr. Evil Spawn as they had taken to calling him, waltzed up to their little group. He had been transferred to Dr. Bailey after pissing off the other resident.

"Shut up Karev." Izzie snapped at him and turned back to their conversation. "Meredith please I promise I'll be so quiet. Besides I love to cook and clean. I'd make a great roommate." The two of them looked at Meredith pitifully.

"I'll think about it." George grinned broadly and Izzie hugged Meredith. "I haven't mad up my mind yet."

"Right of course" Izzie release Meredith and she and George walked out of the locker room practically skipping with joy.

Unfortunately, no matter how hard she tried Meredith was completely unable to find anyone else who she could even tolerate. So later that day she found George and Izzie and told them that hey could go ahead and move in with her.

"Really! Thank you Meredith!" Izzie embraced Meredith in a squelching hug.

"Izzie I can't breath."

"Sorry. I'm just- thank you so much Meredith. I promise you won't regret it."

"Meredith?" George was smiling broadly

"Yeah?"

"Thanks. You've really saved my ass."

"No problem George." She grinned back at him. Hopefully she wouldn't come to regret this.

* * *

A week after moving in Izzie approached her with a "small" request.

"I want to throw a house warming party."

"A what?"

"You know a house warming party, what you throw when you just move in someplace and you want people to stop by, hang out, and bring you gifts."

"I know what a house warming party is Izzie."

Meredith was moving rapidly down the hall to get to her next patient and Izzie, despite her height advantage, was having trouble keeping up.

"Well, you just seemed, unsure. But anyway, I want to have one."

"Um, ok. I guess. Just not too many people and I don't want to be involved in any of the planning.'

"Ok, great."

However, in less than an hour, Izzie had invited all the interns and nearly half of the residents, and even some of the attendings.

Derek, walked down the hall and spotted Meredith at the nurses station filling out some post-op notes for Bailey.

"So, I hear there is the really great party happening this weekend."

"It's a small house warming party. Izzie just got a bit out of hand."

"Oh, ok." He turned to look down at his patient notes. "So, am I invited? I am your friend after all and this does seem to be the kind of think you invite a friend to. Or maybe you'd prefer to skip the party and go out for dinner or a drink. Friends do that as well."

"It's interns only."

"I see." He looked up at her and his blue eyes seemed to melt her.

"Ok, fine. You can come if you'd like."

"Thanks." He looked back down at his notes with a wide grin on his face.

Tomorrow night would be interesting.

**A/N: Sometimes the more things change the more things stay the same. Yes Meredith is still going to end up living with George and Izzie. I think that part was inevitable. Up next- the party. **


	6. Take Me Out

Rewind

Author: Poliwonk

Rating: T

Plot: An AU fic. What would Meredith's life be like had Richard divorced Adele all those years ago and married Ellis?

Disclaimer: I'm not Shonda Rhimes, I don't own these characters, I just like to take them out and play with them sometimes, so please don't sue me. Oh and reviews are nice- they make me happy.

Chapter 6: Take Me Out

Meredith felt very lucky, her shift ended early so she would have time to wash up before the onslaught of interns arrived. But, shortly after she'd hopped out of the shower and pulled on some clean clothes the door bell rang.

"George, could you get that!" But there was no answer. He had gone out to get some beer. So Meredith stomped down the stairs and opened the door to find Derek standing on the other side.

"Hey, I thought you could use some help setting up so I thought I'd stop by early." Meredith was too shocked to say much. She had thought when he had asked for an invitation earlier that he had simply been joking around. She hadn't actually thought he would show up. "So, are you going to invite me in."

"Yeah, come in."

"So, what do you want me to do?" There were many things Meredith could think of for Derek to do, but none of them involved helping her set up for the party.

"Uh, there's chips on the table in the kitchen you can put them in a bowl as well as the ice. George should be back soon with the beer."

For the next half-hour Meredith and Derek worked together setting up the bar and the food. It felt nice having him here doing something that might, to an outside observer, look like something any long established couple did. Not that they were a couple, Meredith reminded herself. They were friends; she had drawn a line and not just a line in the sand type of line, a real line. Meredith searched in vain for a top of conversation and before she could reign herself in she began talking.

"So tell me about your wife or ex-wife. I mean is it over, over, or just you know on hiatus. We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, but I just figured that we are friends after all and we've know each other for three weeks, we work together, we've had sex- I just- you know I should shut up now." The large grin vanished from Derek's face. He looked at Meredith and seemed to consider whether he wanted discuss it.

"Well, she slept with my best friend and I found them together in the act, using my favorite sheets by the way, so I packed up my things and took the first plane out here."

"Have you spoken to her since?"

"No. I should I know, but every time I go to pick up the phone I just keep seeing her with him, in our bed, and I just get sick to my stomach." She could see how much pain he was in, the hurt seemed to overwhelm him. She placed her hand on his and they stood there silently with him looking down at their hands for a few minutes until the door bell rang and the guests began to flood in.

* * *

Once the guests began to arrive Meredith didn't have a chance to really speak with Derek for the rest of the evening, with the exception of a few glances across the room. Around 2am people began to leave and by 3am only George, Meredith, and Derek were left. Izzie had stayed to take on a surgery with Burke at the last minute, missing the party she herself had organized.

The three were sitting on the couch exhausted, drinking the last of the bears. George looked over at Meredith and Derek and feeling like an unwanted third wheel announced that he was heading upstairs.

"So." Derek said looking over at her, with "their" look.

"So?" Meredith smiled. She could feel herself turning to jelly at his glance but she knew that there would be hell to pay if she gave in. "You should get going. I have rounds early tomorrow and you have surgery."

"Yeah I suppose I should." They got up and Meredith walked him out to his car.

Derek opened the car door, but didn't get in.

"Meredith, I really like you. For the first time in a long time I'm happy and I don't feel like I'm drowning."

"What do you want me to say? You're still married, and still an attending."

"I know." And with that he caressed her face and then kissed her, a long deep kiss that made Meredith's head spin. Instead of getting in his car Derek shut the door and he and Meredith walked back up towards the house and to her room.

* * *

The next morning Meredith felt the warmth of a body next to hers and smiled wickedly remembering the previous night's activities. Suddenly there was a knock on the door downstairs. Pulling on pair of sleep pants and a top, she shook Derek awake.

"What time is it?" He said groggily

"5:30." The knock came again more insistently.

Derek groaned and got out of bed pulling on his clothes. He went into the bathroom to wash up.

Meredith crept downstairs to the door. Opening it she was surprised to find her step-father there with, a box in his hands.

"Dad! What are you doing here, it's early."

"I wanted to drop this off before you left for rounds. Besides I'm used to the time after all these years. Are you going to let me in?"

Meredith nervously opened the door for her father. At that moment, Derek came downstairs, equally astonished to see his old mentor standing in the front hall. He tried to pull himself together and act like his presence was perfectly normal, and not the result of an illicit tryst.

"Richard, good to see you." Unfortunately, his voice bellied his nerves.

"Derek" Richard's tone was gruff and he had straightened himself up to his full height as if to signal his willingness to beat Derek to a pulp should the need arise.

"I guess I'll be off then. Meredith, I'll see you later."

Richard turned to Meredith.

"Dad, let me explain."

"You're a grown woman Meredith. You don't need to explain, but do I have to remind you that he's an attending, a married attending at that. You're risking an awful lot here."

"I know."

"Alright. I should be going. I'm expected at the nursing home in an hour and then I have class. You know your mother would appreciate a visit once and a while."

"Yeah, I'll try."

With that Richard left the house and Meredith felt like something lower than a toad.


End file.
